Two patients have warned of their 'heartburn', which turned out to be the early signs of heart attack.
One holidaymaker experienced what he believed to be mild acid reflux during an uphill walk, before being told by doctors that he would have a 'massive heart attack within a year' if he did not undergo triple bypass surgery.
Another dedicated hiker had a heart attack the very moment medics came to check him out in hospital for what he thought was just 'indigestion'.
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The pair have shared their stories in a bid to encourage people to dial 999 when they are having early signs of a heart attack - a call that could be lifesaving, according to the NHS.
Common early symptoms of a heart attack include sweating, uneasiness and chest tightness, but NHS data reveals that fewer than half of people in the North West - 43 per cent - said they would call the emergency services if they or a loved one experienced these lesser known symptoms.
John Price, 73, an avid motorcyclist from Banks in Lancashire, was left gobsmacked when medics told him he could have a massive heart attack if he did not have major surgery within the year.
“My wife and I were on holiday at the time," says John.
"We’d gone walking and were walking up quite a steep slope and I got this pain in my throat. It was only there for a couple of minutes and when I stopped walking it subsided quite quickly.
“A few weeks later I went to see my doctor to ask about it. I just thought it was acid, but she wasn’t happy and she was obviously on the ball because she sent me straight to a rapid chest pain clinic.
"The questionnaire they made me fill in while I was there asked me about all these symptoms, but I’d never had any chest pain, all I had ever had was this pain in my throat and some stomach discomfort.
“Anyway, they found a blockage and told me I needed to have a triple heart bypass and if I didn’t have the operation within the next 12 months I would have a massive heart attack."
John then underwent a triple heart bypass at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital at age 70, and says he's still able to ride his Harley Davidson thanks to the early intervention.
“Honestly, they were amazing, nothing was too much trouble, and I can’t thank them enough for the care I received," John added.
"I've been a motorcyclist since the age of 16 and I'm still riding my Harley Davidson aged 73 thanks to them.”
Fellow Lancastrian, Elliot Cosgrove, was just 54 when he went to Southport Hospital for what he thought was a routine check on some indigestion.
Initially, he 'didn't pay attention to the symptom', saying he is 'at the age where he only has to look at a pie to get heartburn'.
But as medics came to give him an x-ray, he started having a heart attack.
Elliot Cosgrove, a dedicated hiker from Burscough, said: “I experience what I would call indigestion. I’m at that age where I only have to look at a pie or a pasty and I get heartburn, so I didn’t pay a lot of attention.
“In the end, my wife badgered me, so I went in to Southport A&E where they monitored me for a few hours and I actually ended up having a heart attack in the hospital. I remember they were coming in to give me a chest x-ray and I said ‘oh, I don’t feel very well’, and that was it!"
Now 60, Elliot says he is 'indebted' to staff who saved his life in the sudden episode.
“They were so great, I had the procedure done on a Friday and I was out walking the dog on Saturday afternoon," he said.
"I am just so indebted to them, when you think what the outcome could have been.
“I would just say to anyone who is experiencing any symptoms at all not to ignore it, just get straight onto 999. Don’t hesitate.”
The region’s top doctor said thousands of deaths could be prevented with earlier treatment if people recognise these vital signs.
NHS North West medical director, Dr David Levy, said: “It is tragic that one in four deaths in England are caused by cardiovascular disease.
“This is the single biggest area where we can save lives in the next ten years and this new campaign is a vital step forward on that lifesaving mission.
“We need to help educate the public to recognise the symptoms of a heart attack so they are ready to help themselves, their loved ones, and indeed anyone around them experiencing a heart attack and know crucially when to seek early medical help.
“Some symptoms are not well known and many are easy to pass off as unimportant because they don’t seem as severe, but it is never too early to dial 999 in this circumstance – and the faster you act, the better the chance of a full recovery.”
The personal stories come as the NHS launches a new campaign to tackle common heart attack myths, after research identified that 70 per cent of people surveyed in the North West thought a heart attack was the same as a cardiac arrest.
A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood to the heart becomes blocked, which can starve it of oxygen potentially causing serious muscle damage.
Whilst the early signs of a heart attack can vary, the most common include squeezing across the chest, sweating and a sense that something just isn’t right. The person will be conscious and breathing.
A cardiac arrest is different - it usually occurs suddenly and without warning with the person quickly losing consciousness.
Their heart stops, they will have no pulse and sadly people experiencing a cardiac arrest will usually die within minutes if they do not receive treatment. A heart attack can lead to a cardiac arrest.
The campaign is backed by famous faces, including One Foot in the Grave actor Richard Wilson and Sky Sports presenter ‘Tubes’.
Peter Dale (Tubes), a presenter on Sky Sports’ Soccer AM who experienced a heart attack at 36, explained how his symptoms didn’t seem serious to him at first: “I had no idea that I was experiencing symptoms of a heart attack at the time.
"On the morning of the attack, I went home after playing football thinking I had indigestion – I just didn’t feel quite right and both of my arms started to feel numb.
“I managed to text my mum who called an ambulance and only when the paramedics arrived did I realise this was a heart attack.
“People need to be aware of the symptoms – it’s not a case of clutching your chest and falling to the ground – early signs aren’t always severe but if you experience any symptoms, call 999. Acting quickly saved my life.”
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